


Seductress of the night

by ninho_emy



Category: Painter of the Night (Yahwacheop), Painter of the Night (Yahwacheop) by Byeonduck, 야화첩 | Painter of the Night (Webcomic)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Baek Na-Kyum - Freeform, First Kiss, First Time, Kisaeng!Na-Kyum, M/M, Master/Servant, Oral Sex, Rape/Non-con Elements, Torture, Yoon Seungho - Freeform, and he wouldn't go to a kisaeng house, hidden identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:29:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 21
Words: 17,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23515456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninho_emy/pseuds/ninho_emy
Summary: What if instead of just raising Na-Kyum as a boy in a Kisaeng House, he was raised as a girl to bring profit to the business?Na-Kyum still paints pornography, but will Seungho treat him differently if he thinks Na-Kyum is a woman?
Relationships: Yoon Seungho/Baek Na-Kyum
Comments: 116
Kudos: 437





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The fact that this fandom has only 6 fanfics (which I have all read) is a shame. I love it, it was become one of my favourite webtoons. I did some brief research about kisaeng before writing this fic, aka I read the wikipedia page and called it a day. I hope I won't make too many bad assumptions about what it was like.

It was a day as any other for Baek Na-Young, which is the most sought after kisaeng in all of Joseon. She was well known because for her persistent refusal to take any of the great noblemen that went to her establishment to bed. Of course, since she is the head kisaeng and so was her adoptive mother before her, she can have her pick. But, she could recieve so much more money if she did accept some clients in this way. The reason for her refusal is very complex indeed. It wasn’t because of prudeness or pride, she was very interested to lose her virginity and give into her carnal needs, but she had a problem. A big one, you might say. Her real name was Baek Na-Kyum and she was a man. 

No one knew about his identity, with the exception of his late adoptive mother and some of her friends from the past, who were all dead. Only he knew the truth now. 

Na-Kyum was receiving men as usual, entertaining them with song and dance and the occasional painted portrait. In truth, she loved painting, especially of men who were engaging in sodomy. But those, she published in secret, under another name. It was her guilty pleasure, and no one should know about it. Her reputation as a pure "woman" was at stake.

This night, she had only one client, who requested her all night. It was unusual to come alone, but there were many weird men out there. He didn’t ask who this man was, as he usually did, but men weren’t very different from one another at the core. They all wanted a pretty girl to sing and dance and laugh for them. If only they knew who he really was. 

Today, Na-Kyum wore one of her favourite dresses, with a vibrant red skirt and a blue top. Her long, dark hair was embellished with many beautiful, expensive gold hairpieces. His face was painted with white make-up and his lips were red like her skirt. He looked like the perfect woman, a dream come true. The irony.

The attendant he had quickly told him worriedly before he went that “It’s Yoon Seungho inside”. Huh, the name was somewhat familiar. 

They both entered the room. He saw a handsome, lone man. He bowed and greeted him, and took a seat next to him, ready to pour a drink and make conversation, but he was stopped. 

“Are you Na-Young?” the nobleman says with big, excited eyes, while taking his hands into his bigger ones.

“Yes…” he responds.

“So these are the talented hands. I very much enjoy your paintings, my girl!” he says, while squeezing his hands tightly. Was he referring to the portraits he gave to clients…? They weren’t even that good! But he didn’t get to ask what he meant by paintings, because Seungho took one of his hands and put it forcefully on his cock. Na-Kyum tried to take it back, but to no avail!

“Can you feel it? This is how heated my loins become whenever I see your paintings. It has gotten to the point where I cannot engage in my nightly activities without them!” He suddenly took his hand out of the nobleman’s grasp and now he understood where he had heard of his name! This man was Yoon Seungho, the first born of the Yoon family! A fiend for sodomy with no regard for time and place. It is said that his topknot was cut by his father!. What was he doing here? How did he know he was the author of the sodomy paintings? He looked worriedly at the his assistant, a young girl. He hoped this won’t go out. He needed to lie. 

“I don’t know what you’re taking about, sir” he said, calmly. “I only paint portraits.” 

A book was put on the table. He could recognise it immediately. 

“So this book here is not your creation?” he was asked. 

He knew it was, but he couldn’t say it was. 

“You didn’t paint it?” The look in the eyes of the man looked suddenly very deadly. Then, Seungho took out his sword, and in one swipe, he cut his assistant. She fell, dead. Blood splattered everywhere. He was in shock. The poor girl was only 13!

He couldn’t do much else but faint. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta reader. I have no idea where to get one in the first place lol. Hope you enjoy. Sadly, this fic is very unpopular, but I really like the story. Let me know what you think in the comment section, I want to know if you enjoy it :)

When Na-Kyum came to, he was in his bed. The madam of the House was smoking at his table, looking at him. 

“Finally.” she says coldly. She never liked him, because his adoptive mother was more popular than her and he was always jealous. Na-Kyum knew she was secretly happy when his mother died of illness. 

“What happened?” he asks, even though he didn’t really want to know. He couldn’t believe someone could kill someone else just like that, for no reason. 

“That Yoon Young Master paid us a great deal to shut up about that dead girl. He also proposed a hefty sum for your freedom. I’d advise you to take it. As I’ve heard, his tastes aren’t exactly orthodox and he might be even kind to you.” 

“You’d let me go with a man who killed a little girl in cold blood like she was a dog?!” he screams. Did she not care at all? How much money did he offer her?

“I know you’re a smart girl, like your late mother. This is a lot of money. I’d become a rich woman and you’ll be free to live in luxury, dressed in he most fashionable clothes and eating good food everyday. And all you’ll have to do is spread your legs and let him do whatever he wants. It’s a better life than going old in this House. In a few years, no one will ask for you. You know that. This is not a trade for old women.”

Na-Kyum knew. And he knew he’d have to accept someone’s offer to be free. He knew he probably had no longer than 2 or 3 years left until he was old goods. But he dreamt of meeting a kind, good man who’d save him of this fate. Someone who’s write him poems, who’s look at him kindly, who loved kids. Someone who could accept him, with all his secrets. 

A life at the whim of a crazy, pervert nobleman was not what he dreamt of. But maybe he had no other choice…

…

The next day, Na-kyum felt terrible. He barely slept, he couldn’t eat. He looked tired even after applying make-up. He hoped his clients couldn’t notice. 

When he went to the rooms, the Madam was waiting for him.

“He’s back. He’s in the room, waiting for you. Be good and accept whatever he offers, you stupid girl. He’s a powerful and rich man, you’ll never get a better offer.” 

Na-Kyum was terrified. He didn’t want to go. He was at the door, frozen in place. He just couldn’t find the courage to open it. His legs were trembling and he had tears in his eyes. How could he face that man again?

The door suddenly opened and was pulled inside by his wrist until he fell on the floor. He hurried to get on his feet.

Yoon Seungho looked with golden eyes at him. 

“What were you doing, standing at the door like that? I was waiting, and I hate waiting.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” he says, this sentence engrained into him because of the many years in the industry. He was looking at the floor, terrified. What if he got killed too?

He heard Seungho sigh and take a seat at the table. 

“Come here.” he heard. He went at the table, unsure. He was pushed to sit. He still couldn’t look the man in the eye. 

“I need you to paint for me. I know whose books are painted by you. I’ll pay your freedom price and I will give you a place to live, food and clothes. You’ll live the life of a concubine. I don’t want to fuck you, I only want you to paint the pictures I ask you to. I don’t accept a refusal. If you dare defy me, I will make sure you’ll never have a client in your life.” Na-Kyum believed him. His face was taken between Seungho’s big hands.

“What do you say, girl?” Those golden eyes looked crazy.

But Na-kyum knew his place in the world. He knew he will never get such an offer again. He wished he was born in a different world, where he got to be who he wanted and do what he wanted. But this was not such a world. He nodded with tears in his eyes.

“Why are you crying? You should be happy.”

“I don’t know why you’re doing this to me, sir.” he says, crying even harder. 

“I’m as confused as you. What have I done to you that gives cause for these tears?” What kind of person says that? Na-Kyum was angry! He was asked to sell himself like cattle! Because of a nobleman’s fleeting whim!

“Crying is the only thing I can do!” he responds, angrily. “I paint erotic images for extra money. That’s all. ”

“And that’s what I want you to do.”

And this was the start of Na-Kyum’s stay at he Yoon household. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it, things will get interesting next chapter! Let me know what you think.

“Ah…hah…uh” was all you could hear in the room. Na-Kyum had his brush in his hand and an empty paper in front of him. He couldn’t look up. Even if he did grow up in an Kisaeng House all his life, he was never present so close to two people having sex. Even less two men. 

The two men in front of him were fucking like animals. The man he didn’t know was on top of Seungho, riding him like it was the last thing he did in his life. Seungho was looking sometimes at Na-Kyum, like he was expecting him to paint faster. 

Na-Kyum started to paint what he saw. His hands were trembling, but he tried his best to do as he was asked. God knew he had no other place to go to if the nobleman decided to throw him out. 

After the first stroke, he felt like his hand just moved on its own. The erotic picture just came to live by itself. 

For an outsider, they must have made such a grotesque image. A kisaeng, dressed in full regalia, painting a pair of men go at it. 

Na-Kyum tuned out the sounds in the room and just tried to paint as fast as he could. He was terrified of the lord, but he found the scene strangely erotic and he could feel his penis getting erect. It was scary to think what could happen if he was found out to be a man!

The looked up. He saw that Seungho came to him and was looking at what he drew. He took the drawing and analysed it for a few seconds, then he smiled and took Na-Kyum by the arms, shaking him. His eyes looked happy and crazy.

“This is exaclty what I wanted! Keep doing this and we will not have any problems.” he says and then goes back to the other man, who was left cold on the bed, looking angry to be abandoned. Seungho fucked him with even more vigor. The painting was next to the bed and Seungho would look at it from time to time, as if it was some kind of drug. 

Na-Kyum had nothing to do but wait awkwardly for it to end. It took hours. He was dismissed rudely when it was almost morning, but at least he wasn’t the only one. The other lord was too. 

“Why is Seungho so interested in you? I’ve never seen him so captivated by a woman. And you’re not even that pretty. Just a common, lowborn whore. Hm.” and he left. Na-Kyum was speechless. But he was used to the rude talk of highborn people. He only bowed and went to his room.

There, his room was full of painting supplies. A wall had a huge piece of paper, which he knew were used at the Royal Academy of Arts. So much money thrown away for some erotic depictions asked by a crazy man. 

Without thinking much, he stared painting a portrait. He didn’t know what he was doing, he was painting as if led by a spirit. Hours passed. In the end, he had a portrait with striking gold eyes, a string jaw and a handsome face. Seungho looked darkly at him, with a scary, judging smirk. 

Na-Kyum hated him. He hated what his life ended up being. A toy for a nobleman that was going to throw him away the moment he found something new and more exciting. How long were his paintings going to entertain him? 

…

The next days went the same. Na-Kyum could sleep in until late, then eat breakfast alone. The servants didn’t like him. He didn’t know if it was his trade that put them off, his paintings or the fact that they thought he got better treatment from the master. Only the old servant seemed to pity him. 

When Seungho saw the portrait, he didn’t get angry. He just looked at it for a long time and then left the room. The servants came and took it away and Na-Kyum never say it again. 

One day, he even got an unexpected gift, a beautiful gold hair piece with a jade end. He never actually owned something so expensive. When he wanted to ask Seungho why he bought it, he got too embarrassed and didn’t say anything in the end. He received no other explanation, but he did wear his new accessory everyday. 

Na-Kyum was crying everyday. He was lonely. He had no one to talk to. He was used to being surrounded by people and his work was to entertain and talk to others. He felt he had no important purpose in the Yoon household. 

At night, he had the same routine over and over. He went to the master’s room and painted whatever happened there. Sometimes there was only one person, sometimes two or more. Na-Kyum never knew how much imagination was required to have sex with 4 other people. But, Na-Kyum painted. He knew it was his only duty here. As long as he did what was asked, he’d have a roof over his head, food and his head on his shoulders. 

His life went like this for weeks, uninterrupted. No one bothered him. Until everything changed. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Image of Na-Kyum as a Kisaeng.

I know it's not perfect, but I hope you like it! Let me know what you think. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used these two images and I merged them together (pretty badly, I know, but I tried)
> 
> https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/516717757217885533/  
> https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/756112224926500220/
> 
> I hope the artists don't mind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this chapter! Did you expect it to go this way? Let me know what you think! :)

Na-Kyum wasn’t kidding himself to think he was going to be able to have this kind of life forever. As crazy as Master Yoon was, he did have a huge household, with many servants and a lot of money. Life was good, but Na-Kyum didn’t have the certainly it will last long. 

Over the months, he tried his best to not get on Seungho’s bad side. He saw too many servants get beaten badly for he pettiest thing. He didn’t think that if he was a “woman” he’ll get any special treatment. He had a hard time to be nice to that awful noble, Jihwa, but he just bowed and smiled and pretended he wasn’t humiliated every time he spoke with him. He tried not to cry too often over it. 

He had an awkward moment about two months in, when the servant women started whispering a lot when he came in a room. At some point, one of the old ladies came to him and asked if he needed herbs to get rid of a pregnancy. They probably thought his lack of a monthly cycle meant he must be pregnant with Master Yoon’s baby or one of his friends’. He had to explain to them he had a condition that made him sterile and he doesn’t have a monthly cycle or the ability to bear children. The women treated him better for a few days. He wondered what they really thought - was the lack of reproductive possibility something that is so sad for women? 

But life went on. 

One day, he was walking in the corridors of the house quite late at night and when he saw a light coming from the library. He entered quietly and saw the back of Master Yoon, hunched back, reading something.

He didn’t want to disturb him, and he really wasn’t dressed properly, in his night clothes and his hair in loose braids, to talk to him. He wanted to quickly go back, but a voice stopped him. 

“What are you doing here?” the master asked, turning to him.

“I’m really sorry, I just wondered who was here. I’ll return to my room now.” he said, but he realised how tired the master looked and for some reason, he was concerned. 

“Master, are you alright?” he asked with a frown. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” answered the man in an annoyed tone. Na-Kyum had to take a different approach. 

“What are you reading?” he asks. Na-Kyum, as a kisaeng, read a little and memorised some recent poems to entertain his clients. He had a teacher once, In-Hun, who he really liked at first, but then realised he was hated for being a kisaeng. As if he chose this life. They found a better teacher for him after he complained he was uncomfortable with him. 

“Kim Sakkat’s poems. I don’t expect you to know who that is.”

“The vagabond poet. I do know of him. 

_ I ask the birds outside my window _

_ Where is your home?  _

_ From what mountain did you awake from your winter sleep? _

_ Do you know the state of things there?  _

_What about azaleas? Are they in bloom yet_?” he recites. The young master looks impressed and shocked.

“I didn’t expect they thought poetry in kisaeg houses.” he says.

“I wanted to know more about a poet who writes so much about kisaeng women.”

“Ah, so you know about those poems too. I am not surprised. 

_ A kisaeng in my young embrace, a  f ortune seems the straw. _

_ With a jar of wine in daylight, everything is like clouds. _

_ Wild geese ﬂying on high  f ollow easily a river’s course. _

_Butterﬂies passing green hills cannot shun these ﬂowers._ ” it was interesting that someone like young master Yoon knew about popular literature. 

They spend the night reciting poems, from proper, traditional poems from the past, to lewd ones popular with the masses. They spoke until the sun was almost up. When he returned to his room, the servants looked surprised and uncomfortable to see him come from what looked the master’s wing of the household. He’ll never get rid of the rumours at his point. He swore the rumours and the jealousy here were worse than at the Kisaeng House. 

When he woke up, he got dressed and ate, then a servant woman came and told her the master will take her later to go out to the market. The woman looked very judgemental. Na-Kyum wondered if she was in love with Seungho. From what he heard, though, he wasn’t interested in women. 

They met in the courtyard. Na-Kyum changed in his simplest clothes, not wanting to get too much attention at the market. It was a pink, pastel dress and he wore only one hair accessory, the expensive one he got as a gift from the master. Seungho looked him up and down, but he didn’t know if he approved or not. They walked in silence to the market.

“What are we doing there, master?” Na-Kyum didn’t really need anything. Maybe Seungho needed something?

“I was bored in the house.” was the answer he got. 

They walked a bit in the market, Seungho bought a few books of philosophy from a stand. Na-Kyum was looking at a red make-up. He didn’t have that much left but he couldn’t afford it right now. He’ll just have to use it with a lighter hand to last longer. 

“Do you want it?” someone said behind him. It was the master. He blushed. He didn’t want to ask for more money. People were already talking so badly about him. He shook his head ‘no’. 

“I’ll buy it.” the master said anyway. The make-up was thrust in his hand. 

“Don’t think it means I’ll make you my wife.” he says and puts a red dot on his forehead, a mockery of the wedding makeup. He blushed even more. 

They walked a little until they reached a big crowed of people. There was a theatre troupe in town. He looked at Seungho excitedly, he hadn’t seen a play in so long! He loved puppet theatre plays. The master rolled his eyes and payed for entrance for both of them and look a seat on the long bench in the back. They looked very out of place, with their silk, clean clothes. They were surrounded only by peasants. 

The play was a parody about the king and the arrogance of noble men. It was really funny. The first time he wanted to laugh, he looked at Seungho, afraid he was going to feel offended, but the master looked amused. He had a small, amused smile the whole play. Na-Kyum could laugh freely. He really liked the moments about the gossiping, scheming servants. 

They left when it was over. The master commented that he was the truth in some scenes. Na-Kyum agreed. They returned home, but on the way, at the river, they saw a group of girls playing on a swing. 

They went there. Na-Kyum put his feet on the swing, but he hadn’t done it in a long while, since he was young, and he couldn’t get a hand of it. He saw Seungho roll his eyes at him and he hopped behind him.

“You’re really useless, aren’t you?” he says. 

Seungho swung both of them. It was really high, higher than he remembered ever going. He could see a beautiful view of the sunset over the village. When he started screaming in fright, he felt his hands being surrounded by the bigger ones of the master, as if telling him it was alright.

After a few minutes, they stopped and left. Na-Kyum was smilling and giggling all the way home. He bowed to the master and thanked him and walked to his room. 

But he was stopped to enter by the master’s arm. They were now face to face, Na-Kyum’s back to the door. Seungho was looking at him, saying nothing. What was he doing…?

He didn’t get to ask, because the master… kissed him. What…?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the rape tag comes into action. Nothing horrible like in the webtoon, with violence, but pretty similar, because Na-Kyum is drunk and cannot consent. Let me know what you think! :)

Na-Kyum didn’t know how to kiss someone. This was his first kiss. He kept his lips pressed close, even if he knew more sensual kisses required to open his mouth, but he didn’t know how. He felt the lord’s tongue at his lips, but he felt awkward so he tried to get away. The master took his face in his hand and then moved his thumb to his mouth, to pry it open forcefully. He then felt the tongue in his mouth, touching his own. It was an odd feeling, but he did feel his face heat up and, after some time, he did get used to it. He was released after a few minutes. 

“Good night, master Yoon” he said and bowed, then quickly went in his room. 

He didn’t see the smirk on the other man’s face when he closed the door. 

This was a bad situation. He couldn’t hide his gender if the master was interested in him!

—-

The next days, nothing much happened. He wasn’t asked to go and paint and the servants all ignored him, but to do their duty to feed and help to do his hair. He started to paint the house and surroundings, out of boredom, and dance by himself. He didn’t have much to do. 

Seungho started going out, meeting his friends. From what he heard the servants whispering, his friends he had orgies with. The servants were looking at him in pity, as if he was some kind of shunned mistress. He did feel a bit sad, he thought the other man had feelings for him, but he was probably a passing whim. 

The feeling that Na-Kyum was surrounded by every day, every moment, was loneliness. He had no one to talk to. He didn’t know how painful it could be to not have anyone to talk to, even about the weather. He couldn’t go out, the people in the household didn’t like him. He had no one. No one cared if he was happy or not, if he was sick or not, even if was alive or not. What was the point of his life? All he did was survive. There was no happiness. He didn’t even enjoy his clothes or his hair. He wanted to leave and live the life of a normal man, far away from the madness of kisaengs or highborn lords. He wanted to be normal, to be loved as he truly was. All he could do was cry with bitter tears.

When the master came back, he didn’t know. But he heard a commotion, so it sounded that he finally returned home. Na-Kyum left his room and went to the pantry, where he found a small bottle of wine that looked very expensive. He smelled it and it seemed very strong. 

He went to his room and took a swing. It was burning his throat. He drank it, slowly, and cried. He drank it until there was nothing left. He didn’t feel very good, the room was spinning all over. 

He heard the door open and someone come in. It looked like a handsome stranger, the man of his dreams. The one he always envisioned that will come and save him and set him free.

He didn’t understand what he was saying, but he was suddenly kissed and the man was on top of him. He was kissed and kissed. He could feel hands roaming all over his body, making him moan. Until they reached his groin, and suddenly the hands were gone. What was happening…?

Then, he suddenly felt hands on his neck, squeezing the air out of him and the man of his dreams shouting. This has never happened in his dreams before, Na-Kyum couldn’t understand. But the pressure of his neck left and the hands returned to caressing him. 

He felt being undressed and fingers entering him. He started to cry, telling the dream-man that it was painful, it was his first time. He was then slowly prepared with gentle fingers and one hand was on his cock, keeping it aroused. It felt good now, there was no pain. 

He felt a kiss of his forehead and then something big enter him. That felt really strange and told the man. His hand was held tightly in a bigger hand. It was warm. After some minutes of thrusting, he felt the man come. Then, a wet warmth surrounded his cock until he came with a shout. 

He felt really tired. He closed his eyes and saw only darkness. 


	7. Chapter 7

Na-Kyum woke up feeling very, very sick. He’s never had a hangover this bad in his life. He ended up throwing up all morning and staying in bed with a wet cloth on his head. But one of the servants rudely woke him up from the bed, saying the master was going hunting and he needed him to come too. What would a Kisaeng do in the woods? Was he meant to paint the scenery? Be a pretty accessory? He looked horrible today anyway.

  
For some reason, his whole body hurt, especially his hips and neck. He didn’t remember what happened last night, he knew something did, but nothing but some weird flashes came to him. He saw in the mirror he had some red marks on his neck. Very weird. 

He got dressed in his plain, cotton dress. He didn’t want to ruin his silk ones. He took his painting supplies, not knowing what he was supposed to do. It seemed half of the household was going to this trip. He saw Seungho with some friends in the front. Na-Kyum’s body hurt so badly and his head was spinning a bit, so he remained in the far back, not being able to walk too fast. 

They stopped and he got to sit next to a big rock, not realising the master was on the other side, talking to one of his friends. 

He was there, in the shade, staying quiet until they left. He didn’t want them to think he was listening in. It was quiet now. He took a peek to see if they left and… he came face to face with Seungho, who was smirking. 

“Wa!” he screamed and fell on his butt. He didn’t expect that! He heard the master laugh at him. 

He was helped on his feet and he started to arrange his clothes. He was almost crying, this was embarrassing.

“This is not what you think, Master! I didn’t know you were here!” he says. 

“So you weren’t trying to find secrets?”

“I don’t think you have any secrets that aren’t public knowledge, sir.” he says, a bit mean spirited. 

“You’d know a thing or two about keeping secrets, huh?” Seungho says, with a serious face. What did he mean with that? Na-Kyum got scared. Did he find out…?

“I don’t know what you mean, sir.” he tries to go, to pretend this conversation never happened. 

“I wouldn’t go if I were you.” Master Yoon says, looking angry now. “Did you think I’ll never find out?”

Na-Kyum started to sweat now. Gods, will he get killed?  
  
“I really don’t know what you’re talking about, I have to go.” and he started walking really fast, almost running, but the other man caught up to him. He got grabbed by the elbow.

“You think your clothes and your make-up will help you forever to hide what’s between your legs?” Seungho asks and then grabs Na-Kyum’s genitals. Na-Kyum screams in pain and asks him to stop. 

“Please, Master, stop.” he cries. Seungho must have felt bad for him, because he was released.Na-Kyum started to cry pathetically. His life was over. He thought he’d have more time. He didn’t even get the chance to be truly happy even for a moment.He was now on his knees, crying with ugly tears, his whole body trembling. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he flinched. The Master was looking at him with cold eyes.

“Stop crying.” he commands. Na-Kyum tried, but the tears just couldn’t stop. 

“I said, stop crying!” the other repeated, and when he didn’t comply, he felt a slap on his cheek. Na-Kyum was so shocked his tears stopped. 

“Stop with the dramatics. Let’s go home.” 

They went home in silence. Na-Kyum didn’t know what to say. He trembled all the way home, scared what will happen once he got there. He was let to go to his room. 

____

The next few days, nothing happened. The servants still brought him food and didn’t say anything. It was as if no one knew. He lived in a constant state of paranoia. One day, the master just came barging in the room when he was getting dressed one morning. He tried to hide, his chest was bare. 

“No need for that. It’s nothing I haven’t seen.” he says. What…?

“What do you mean?” he asks, shocked. When was he seen naked by Seungho? In the baths…?

“A week ago, don’t pretend you don’t know.” he was told. He had no idea what that meant and he said as much. 

Seungho looked shocked at that. He came to him and suddenly kissed him. Na-Kyum closed his eyes and opened his mouth and let Seungho kiss him deeply. He was pushed down and now he could feel some of master Yoon’s weight on him. He saw a flash of the master’s face, like he’d been in this situation before. 

“Do you not remember? You were so pleased last time.” the master was caressing him all over his chest now, kissing him. Na-Kyum suddenly remembered what had happened. It came to him, all of it. 

“No!” he says and hits Seungho. “This is not what I wanted! I though it was a dream!” he tries to get up his knees, to get himself far from Seungho, but he felt hands on his hips and then his pants get pulled down.

“No! I don’t want this, stop it! I hate it! I hate you to death!” he says, crying. The Master stops, then pulls away. 

He sobs and sobs and wants to leave, but Seungho returns, this time with a sword in his hand.

“If you hate me to death, then how about I kill you and get this over with?” he says and then he raises the sword. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, Seungho is still a piece of shit.


	8. Chapter 8

Na-Kyum was afraid for his life. Was this the end? At least in death he will have some peace, finally.

“Any last words?” The Master asks.

He can’t say anything else, just cries some more and tells him to do it fast. He doesn’t want to suffer more than he has to. He closes his eyes and puts his head on his knees. He heard some movement, but instead of the sword hitting him, it hit the floor, abandoned. 

Seungho kneeled next to him and took his head by the hair.

“You’re patethic.” He says and then kissed him. Na-Kyum has no power to fight, he just quietly cries. Seungho takes a long look of him and then stands up and leaves, but not before saying this to him:

“We’re going out tomorrow.” 

Na-Kyum doesn’t sleep well that night. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do. 

In the morning, he ate a little, without much apetite and got dressed. 

It was an awkward moment when Na-Kyum said “good morning” to the master and then they walked quietly to the market. They went to the tailor shop. 

“Get this lady the best dresses you have.” Seungho says.

“A Kisaeng dress, my lord?” The tailor says, after he takes a look at Na-Kyum.

“No, whatever the young noble women are wearing these days.” 

The tailor probably knew of Seungho’s temperament, because he didn’t comment why a woman who was clearly a Kisaeng was getting new, expensive dresses. 

Na-Kyum didn’t know why Master Yoo. was doing this. One day he was mean and violent, the next he was nice. He couldn’t read him at all. He liked to think he knew how to read men, but Seungho was so complex he couldn’t tell at all what his next actiona will be like. 

The next hour was spent getting measured and choosing from the most expensive materials the shop had. He knew this was the best tailor in town. The price must be ridiculous. Na-Kyum never felt material so soft. The patterns where simple, not like the Kisaeng dresses he own. These materials were high quality and beautifuly crafted. He even got new nightgowns. He got a new wardrobe, full of dresses befitting a noble lady, not a low born like him.

They thanked the tailor, who got paid and said his dresses will be send to the Yoon household in a week. 

Next, they went to stalls and he got to pick fine jewlery and expensive hair accesory, that weren’t austentatious like the ones he was used to. He even got ribbons to put in his braid.

They went home.

“From now on, you will wear what I bought you. You are no longer a Kisaeng. You will be a new woman. We both know you’ll never be able to become one, but you will act like it, if you want to have food and shelter.” Seungho says and leaves him alone, to ponder what just happened.

Why would he do this? People will talk. They’ll think he’s some kind of favourite concubine. But then again, was this life a bad one? If he learnt what Seungho trully wanted, how to control him, he’d have a comfortable life here. He could pretend the rest of his life to be the kept woman of Yoon Seungho. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very brief mention of suicide and rape, but just a mention, nothing happened.

A few days later, he got all his clothes send to his room. It was weird, getting dressed like this. It was certainly easier. Today, he chose a yellow top and a red skirt.He did his hair in a plain braid, that fell on his back, and put on a red ribbon at the end of it. Na-Kyum looked like a noble young lady. He kept the makeup light. His shoes were also red, with flower embroidery. The clothes felt very nice.

He met with the master that morning, in the library. He bowed, then awkwardly went on the oposite side of the room, with a poetry book. He looked from time to time over his book, to see what Seungho was doing, but he was just reading and writing. It looked like something important, as if he was studying something.

He wondered why Seungho chose to destroy his reputation to such a degree that he could never take an administration exam. He will never be able to hold office. And if he decided to have children, neither will his children. The reputation of his line was in tatters forever. 

They had lunch together. He got to eat what Seungho ate, which meant a lot of meat and also sweets at the end. Na-Kyum was muching happily. 

“Aren’t you being fed enough?” Seungho asks.

Na-Kyum realised be must have ate too much of the food. The pork belly plate looked almost finished, but Seungho barely took a bite. It was embarassing. 

“I’m sorry, Sir. I eat enough everyday, but I rarely get meat. I’ll stop eating now.” He said, red in the face.

Seungho looked at him for a second and took all the pork belly from the plate in the center of the table and... put it on Na-Kyum’s rice bowl. He was surprised and looked up at the master.

“You need some meat on your bones. You look so thin that you’ll break at any moment. Eat this.” Seungho said.

Na-Kyum could only thank him and eat all the meat, with a lot of kimchi and rice. It was a delicious meal. Having a full tummy always made him happy. 

“We’re going out today, I need to see to some bussiness.” 

They finished, the servants took the food away and they got ready to leave. They stoped at a bookstore, where Seungho bought some new books that looked like law books of some kind, and they stopped at a stand that had many colorful norigae, an accessory for women’s hanbok. The master chose 3 different colours, all of them which had a small hidden knife in them. He paid and they left.

“Use them if you ever need to.” Was all Seungho told him. He thanked him and bowed. Sometimes, these knifes were used by noble women who found themselves in the situation where they were going to lose their chastity against their will and commited suicide. Dying was a better alternative to loosing face and shaming your family like that. But Na-Kyum didn’t need to worry about that. The only man he had to worry about already took everything he had, and realistically, own his body anyway. 

They went to a big house, that clearly belonged to an important family. They were greeted by the head servant and then taken to different rooms, where he was told to just wait for Seungho to finish his bussiness.

He didn’t know what was discussed. He did find, however, from the woman who served him tea and sweets while he waited, that he was in the house of an esteemed professor of the Royal Academy, who even served as an advisor to the King, before he retired.

He must be a smart man. He wondered what Seungho had to talk to him about. He made conversation with the youngest daughter of the house. She was really sweet, and they got to talk about makeup and clothes. He even told her some poems and she liked them. It was sad that many noble girls never got to learn to read and write. They were supposed just to marry who their parents wanted them to and have many children. They truly had a quite pitiful life, if he was honest. 

Seungho returned quite soon. He bowed to him and Mister Kim, the master of the household. He looked very old. He wondered how he had such a young daughter. Her mother was probably a second or third wife, or a concubine. He prayed she’ll have a good life, she seemed like a good and polite girl.

Mister Kim kept looking very weirdly at Na-Kyum, it was a bit uncomfortable. 

“Good luck in your endeavours, Young Master Yoon.” Mister Kim said.

“Thank you for you advice.” Seungho answered. 

They bowed to him and they left home. He wondered if he’ll ever find out what went in that room. 


	10. Chapter 10

That night, Na-Kyum was in his room, in night clothes, painting Seungho. He didn’t know why he did it, but he painted him like he saw him today. Sitting across the table, eating. Walking through the market and picking up books. The last picture he did was of him kissing Na-Kyum, like he thought he was going to when they said goodbye for the night. It didn’t happen though. 

He was so concentrated on what he was doing, he didn’t hear that someone entered his room. He noticed then that Seungho was standing in his room, also in his nightclothes. He quickly rose to his feet and bowed.

“Ma…Master, what are you doing here?” he stammered. He was afraid of what the servants will talk if they saw him enter his room so late. He already had a bad reputation as the master’s plaything, he didn’t want to bring forth more rumours. 

“For some reason, I can’t get you out of my head. I don’t know why I find you so interesting, you’re just a low born travestite...” Na-Kyum had to flinch at that. Even if it was true, hearing it said so directly was very hurtful. He didn’t know what to say. He saw that the master was looking at his table. Gods, the paintings! He tried to go and hide them, but Seungho just took them from his hands and looked at them.

“What got you so flustered, huh?” he asked, laughing and then looked at the paintings. Then, he laughed even harder, like some maniac. 

“Ha, ha, what’s this, my boy? Thinking about your master? The similarity is uncanny though, I’ll give you that.” Seungho looked at the paintings some more and frowned. “Do you see me like this?”

“Like what, Master?”

“Happy.” Na-Kyum noticed in all of them that Seungho had a little smile in all of the pictures. He didn’t realize he did that. He thought a bit on what he remembered from today. He was sure he didn’t invent the smile, it was just there all day. 

“Yes.” he answered, simply. It was true, at least for today. He didn’t know what had happened to put Seungho in such a good mood, but something clearly happened. 

Seungho was looking at him, as if he was thinking about something. He got closer to him. They were now kneeling, their knees touching, and the master was leaning a bit forward. He put his hands on Na-Kyum’s arms and then came even closer. Na-Kyum knew he was going to get kissed. The first kiss was soft, just a brief touch of lips. Then he was kissed intensely. Their tongues met anddanced together. Seungho’s hands were caressing his back and arms, as if to tell him it’s alright. 

Seungho took him by hand and they kneeled on the bed on the floor. He felt one of his hands come to his top and the ribbon keeping it closed being tugged open and taking it off. Then, his skirt followed. The master took his own top off. He saw Seungho taking his top and pants off. They were both completely naked. Na-Kyum was scared, but Seungho was so intense and touching him so much, that he didn’t have time to think too much. He felt a hand on his crouch, and then saw the master go down. 

“Master…?” he asked, unsure. Then, he felt lips on his cock and then he forgot how to talk. He never felt much pleasure before. It was warm and wet. He tried to hide his moans by biting his hand, but some still came out. He didn’t last long, maybe a few minutes.

“I’m going to come.” he said and as soon as he said it, it happened. Seungho stood back and some of the semen was all over his face.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” he apologizes, panting. He looked over, looking for something to wipe him off. He gave him his skirt. 

He didn’t understand why he got pleasured by him. Was it some kind of game?

“You’ll have to pay me back now.” the master tells him.

“Pay you back, Sir?” he asks.

“Kneel.” he commands. Na-Kyum does. Seungho put his groin in his face, so Na-Kyum opened his mouth, and soon after, feels a big cock in it. He gagged and had to stop.

“Do it again.” he was told. 

Na-Kyum tried, but Seungho tsked and put his fingers in his mouth instead. “Use your tongue, keep the teeth away. Suck it, don’t just keep it there.” he said and then just shoved his dick in. He just used Na-Kyum, keeping a hand on the back of his head to guide him. It felt like an eternity until he came. He felt the liquid come in his mouth and he swallowed it. It tasted really bad and he probably made an awful face, because Seungho said “You didn’t need to swallow it.” 

Na-Kyum drank some water and they got dressed. He found a new skirt and he hoped he’ll be able to wash the old one himself, without the servants noticing the stains. He thought Seungho will leave his room, but he kept looking at him.

“Yes, my lord?” he asks.

“I’ll sleep here.” he says and goes to his bed. He puts the cover over himself. So much for Na-Kyum evading the rumours. He couldn’t say no, so he went to bed. Seungho embraced him the whole night. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you expect this? Did you? Let me know!

When he woke up, he was alone. He felt very relaxed, but he smelt really terrible. He asked for a bath and he was greeted with a really sour face by the maid. She really didn’t like him, he could tell. By now, everyone probably knew that the master spent the night with him and probably they will tell the servants from other households too. 

After he took a bath, he got dressed and had breakfast alone. He saw that his portion was bigger than usual and included meat, which rarely happened. He was happy nonetheless.

He painted what happened last night. He could remember every second vividly. He felt getting a bit aroused seeing the pictures. It was the middle of the day and anyone could come at any second to check on him, but he decided to quickly pleasure himself.

He remembered Seungho’s mouth and his hands as he jerked himself fast and dry. It was a bit painful, but it was also extremely pleasurable.

When he finished, he felt a bit embarrased. 

The next days and weeks were quiet, but stresful. He would just waste time in his room and go out with Seungho to meet with various people, then, at night, they’ll eat dinner and sleep together. Every night, they gave each other blowjobs or handjobs. Na-Kyum started to get better at it and he could tell Seungho enjoyed it. 

The best part was falling asleep with arms around him. Sometimes, the master would look like he had nightmares. He wondered what made his sleep so bad. 

One day, everything changed. He could tell that Seungho was worried about something. They ate quickly, and requested that Na-Kyum wore his best dress. He wondered who they were going to meet today. 

Seungho waited for him near a horse. 

“Have you ever been on one?” He asked.

“No, sir” he told him. There was never a chance to learn to ride or even be close to a horse in a kisaeng house. 

“I’ll help you up, come here.” Na-Kyum went and was helped up by Seungho. He held on for dear life. It was really high and the horse was moving around a bit. Seungho took some packages from a servant and put them in a pocket of the saddle. Then, he came up the horse, in front of Na-Kyum. 

“Hold on to me. Don’t fall.” Na-Kyum did exactly that. After maybe half an hour, he relaxed a bit and didn’t hold on so tightly and even got to admire the scenery. They were going somewhere in the country side. 

There wasn’t much around, but the nature was beautiful, and today was a beautiful spring day. 

They arrived at a big household. Whoever owened it, they must have money. It was weird it was so far away from the capital. Usually, only disgraced noble families went so far away. 

“Young master, we were waiting for you.” an old servant said, once they climbed down. 

They were led to a big room and they sat, waiting. An old, imposing man came in, and they bowed. Seungho’s bow was very low, disrespectful to do in front of someone who was clearly much older. Na-Kyum was suddenly worried.

“Seungho.” The man said, in an angry tone. Then, he started to cough a lot. 

“Father.” the young master answered him with the same voice tone.

This was the Yoon Master? Na-Kyum knew the whole family, besides Seungho, had to move away because they conspired against the King. They were the lucky ones, the other noble families didn’t survive.

“I thought I told you never to come here.” 

“I have an anouncement and I thought you should hear it from me.” Seungho told him, with a grin on his face.

“What have you done now, boy?” 

“I decided to get married.” 

The old Yoon was surprised.

“With whom, pray tell? No honest woman will marry someone with your disgusting reputation.”

“This woman right here.” 

Two gasps were heard in the room, and a servant who just entered broke the tea cups and pot she wanted to bring in.

What did he mean by that? Marry him, Na-Kyum? Impossible!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter! Next one will be the wedding! :D Please comment, I love reading your replies!

That was impossible. Why would Seungho want to marry him? Men marry women for their dowry. Na-Kyum not only didn’t have any dowry, he also cost money to free from the Kiseng house. He wasn’t “pure” and he couldn’t give him children. He wasn’t a woman to begin with! It made no sense. Even if he was a woman, he could barely qualify for a second wife or a concubine. 

“What’s wrong with you, boy?!” Mister Yoon screams and then coughs multiple times. He looks very sick. 

“It’s the only way I'll ever get marries. We both know I will not marry someone else. I will do it even if you don't approve.” Seungho says, coldly.

“What do you think you’ll accomplish with this?” 

“You’ll have to wait and see.” The younger Yoon says with a smirk. That smile made Na-Kyum very scared. 

Mister Yoon looked angry, like he was going to explode. He screams after someone to come and get him. Another man, younger than Seungho, entered the room and helped Mister Yoon to raise from the table. 

“You never did anything that was expected of you. You want my approval to marry a no-one you found in a Kiaseng House? You have it. But never come to me again. You’re no longer my son.”

The other men left the room, but before Seungho and Na-Kyum departed, the younger man who they’ve met came to them.

“Brother” he said “Please they care of yourself. Father is worried, whatever he might say.”

“He never cared.” the younger brother looked sad. They took the horse and were on their way. 

Na-Kyum didn’t understand what happened. He wondered why Seungho was doing this. He wasn’t naive to think it was for love - it had something to do with his father. What was he trying to accomplish? He wanted to ask, but Seungho was so tense and his face was so scary, he couldn’t do that now. He’ll have to wait for him to explain, if he ever did. 

Na-Kyum was in no position to complain or refuse. But he knew his life will get harder. A wife was expected to help in the household, she was expected to raise children. She was supposed to be patient, quiet, obedient. She wasn’t supposed to have a mind of her own. She wasn’t even supposed to go out without reason or a chaperone. A wife no longer belonged to herself. This is not the life Na-Kyum wanted. He wondered if Seungho expected him to act like the perfect noble wife or he wanted him to be anything but. He was a world renown sodomite, with violent tendencies. There was nothing orthodox about him. He supposed he didn't want a meek wife. 

Na-Kyum didn’t become the best Kisaeng of his House for nothing. He had to plan a way to make his life liveable somehow. 

They arrived home late at night. When Na-Kyum went to take a bath, to wash the smell of horse and sweat, Seungho was already there. He looked unsurprised to see him there.

“Come here.” he commands.

“I…I can come later.” he responds.

“I told you to come here. Take your clothes off and come in.” 

Na-Kyum had no choice but to do that. He quickly took his clothes off and went in the water, his back to Seungho’s chest. Na-Kyum had his knees to his own chest, feeling self-conscious. 

Seungho was caressing his back, gently, up and down. Na-Kyum was getting aroused by the feeling of soft fingers on his skin and Seungho noticed.   
  
“No longer shy, huh?” he asked, amused.

Na-Kyum could do nothing but blush. 

Seungho took his member in his hand and stroked him fast with one hand and put his other in Na-Kyum’s mouth, stoping him from moaning too loudly. He finished quickly. He could feel Seungho’s breath on his ear and his chest was so warm on his back, he couldn’t have resisted more. After he finished, he put his head on the master’s chest and tried to catch his breath. He felt Seungho’s hand on his back, caressing his skin again. Then, the hand descended on his ass. 

“Sit on my lap.” he heard the man whisper. Na-Kyum shivered, even if the water was still very hot. He did as he was told. 

Seungho’s hand was between his bum cheeks, caressing the wrinkly skin there. He used one finger to circle his hole and then slowly rested his middle finger there, applying just a bit of pressure, until it went in. Na-Kyum didn’t feel any pain or discomfort. The finger slowly wiggled in until the first knuckle and then Seungho moved it in and out, until it went in completely. It felt good. Seungho took the finger out, then he saw him apply some oil that was used in he bath on his hand. He felt two fingers now, slowly going in. 

“Move by yourself” Seungho says. Na-Kyum slowly moved up and down on Seungho’s fingers, trying to make them go in deeper. They felt good inside him, and when they were hitting a certain place inside, he felt a different type of pressure, that was making him hard again. 

The fingers were moved from him and he felt a hand on his hip, making him move closer towards Seungho. He felt the tip of Seungho’s member a his entrance. It went in very easily, like it was nothing. They both moaned.

They had sex in the tub, then outside it. Then, they quickly went to Seungho’s room and had sex again on his bed a few times, until Na-Kyum wouldn’t even moan anymore. He fell asleep in the middle of round five. 

When he woke up, he could see Seungho sitting near a window, looking outside. He saw him turn to him, probably having heard him wake up. 

“What’s your name?” the Master suddenly asks. 

“What do you mean, Sir? My name is Baek Na-Young.” 

“Is that the name your mother gave you?”

“No…sir. It’s Baek Na-Kyum.”

“Na-Kyum… if you know what’s good for you and you want to survive, you’re going to help me get back something I have long thought impossible to attain.”

“What’s that, Master?” he asks, curiously.

“You’ll help me get my reputation back. And after, revenge.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short, but I don't know much about Korean traditional weddings, only what I've seen in Historical dramas and what I read on wikipedia. I didn't mention much, because I was scared my ignorant European self will make some stupid mistake. Hope you enjoy! And welcome to my new readers, I love reading your comments :)

The weeks before the wedding were hectic. Na-Kyum was fitted for new clothes, shoes, that he will wear once married, and also for his wedding attire. From his wedding on, he was expected to wear a dangui, the dress of a married woman, and have his hair in a bun. 

One day, when he was in Seungho’s bed, after they had sex, the other man gave him a big box, that was beautifully crafted with flowers and birds on it. It looked like some kind of jewellery box. He looked curiously at Seungho.

“What is this?” he asks, shyly. He rarely got gifts from him. Seungho rolled his eyes.

  
“You won’t know if you don’t open it.” 

Na-Kyum opened the top of the box and gasped. Inside, there were at least 10 binyeo, hairpins to use in his hair after they get married. They varied from small, simple gold ones, to ones that had precious stones at the end. Some were had such a big ornament at the end, with so many stones, that it looked like it should belong to the Queen, not Na-Kyum’s head. 

“Thank you, Sir, they’re beautiful. But why are there so many?” he asks, surprised. He only needed one or two. 

“A merchant came yesterday morning, selling them, but you were sleeping. I didn’t know what you’d like, so I bought all of them.” Seungho says, not really looking at him. 

Na-Kyum smiled. He liked seeing the gentle side of Seungho, rare as it was. Na-Kyum knew his life will not be easy tied with this man, but he will find a way to be happy. 

Na-Kyum didn’t leave Seugho’s side at all, until the wedding morning, when they were separated to prepare. The household was extremely busy. They have been, since they found that he master was getting married. 

Na-Kyum took a long bath and then went to get dressed. It took a long time for Na-Kyum to get in the wedding dress, the hwarot. It was incredibly heavy, especially the head piece. He was helped by a professional to do his wedding make-up, topped with the three red circles on his forehead and cheeks that made everyone know he was a bride. He had to be helped to move by two servant girls. He had to walk in front of the house, where Seungho waited, dressed in his wedding garb. He looked very handsome. He even looked happy. 

He ceremony started. Na-Kyum couldn’t remember anything, if he was truthful. He just did what he had to. He was relieved when it was over and everyone left. Seungho’s father looked very angry the whole ceremony, but he saw some other nobles who seemed pleased. Na-Kyum was surprised to see a lot of familiar faces, people who he had visited with Seungho. 

The wedding took a long time, but everything had to end. Na-Kyum went to take a bath and then went to Seungho’s room, to wait for him. It was strange, like something had shifted. Even if the two of them knew their wedding was not valid, in everyone’s eyes, they were man and wife. 

When Seungho finally returned, he could tell the other man was drunk. He was still dressed in his wedding attire, though he somewhere lost some parts of it.Seungho went to the bed and put a hand on over his eyes and started laughing.

“Hahaha, can’t believe this worked! Did you see my father’s face? Pfft!”

Na-Kyum just looked at him, unsure of what to say. 

“Come here, boy! Or should I say… come here, wife!” and then dragged Na-Kyum on top of him. Seungho took Na-Kyum’s night clothes off quickly and then kissed him. He was prepared quickly, he didn’t need that much anymore, since he was used to doing this almost everyday now and then Seungho took his member out, still keeping all his clothes on and made him ride him. Na-Kyum did so, until Seungho got bored and changed positions. Now on top of him, Seungho quickly penetrated him and pounded him over and over, until Na-Kyum went crazy from arousal. In the last months, Na-Kyum learnt to like what they were doing in bed. 

Even drunk, Seungho had a lot of stamina. Na-Kyum was already tired from the long day, but Seungho seemed to never want to stop. All Na-Kyum could do was moan and encourage Seungho to come soon.

“Ah…ah… please, Seungho!”

“Please what?”

“Please come.” he says and moans. Seungho did just that, not long after. Na-Kyum was exhausted, but he was satisfied. 

Seungho fell asleep, but Na-Kyum had to clean himself and… his husband before he went to sleep too. They always had a bucket of water in the room and fresh towels, just for that. He put his night clothes on, in case someone entered in the morning, and put the blankets over them. He could see that Seungho’s face looked relaxed and happy, in a way it had never before. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler chapter. Let me know what you think!

Na-Kyum was bored. When Seungho told him he had a plan for revenge, he thought it will employ more… action. All they did was go to people’s houses and talk. Seungho with the master of the household they were at, Na-Kyum with the women. It was the same few subjects - food, weather or children. 

In traditional households, the women’s side was far away from the men’s side of the house, so there was no way of listening in in the room Seungho was. There was so much Na-Kyum could talk about the state of the weather. It wasn’t these women’s fault they were like this, society wanted them to be empty headed, but pleasant. They weren’t bad, they just didn’t have much to say. 

In one household, the state was particularly pitiful. The man had three wives and five concubines. In their society, it was expected of powerful and rich men to have many wives and concubines and to have many children, so Seungho was the unconventional one. But he couldn’t notice how miserable these women were. It was a weird combination of rivalry between them and pity for each other. The oldest wife was more than twice the age of the youngest concubine, who looked to be 18. 

But what was memorable about this house was not the huge number of women, but how open, yet shy they were in trying to talk to him about intimacy. He didn’t know if they broached this subject with any women who came to visit, or it was because Na-Kyum used to be a Kisaeng. Probably the second. 

“So, Miss Yoon” one of the older women, who he thinks was a concubine, says “I wonder… aren’t you tired of pleasing you husband whenever he demands?”

The other women gasped and seemed appalled the concubine was so direct with him. But he could tell she was just curious. 

He took a sip of the tea he had been offered and answered with a smiled “Not at all, it’s my pleasure to take care of my husband every day.”

“Everyday?” Someone asks, shocked. 

“My husband is just… demanding.” he says, diplomatic. He was insatiable, more like. 

“Aren’t you in pain? That cannot be good for your body.” the second wife says, worried. 

“I’ve never been in pain. He takes care of me.” It was true. Seungho lacked many things, but skill in bed wasn’t one of those. 

“Never? But isn’t that part of intimacy?” one of the younger women asks, frowning. What? What were these girls experiencing? 

“It shouldn’t be, if done properly.” he says, blushing. The women all looked at him. It was so awkward to talk like this with these proper noble women! 

“Is there some skill we should know to do it properly?” someone asks. Na-Kyum gulps and then takes a deep breath. These girls clearly needed some guidance.

“Well...oil is very important, and using your hands or mouth beforehand helps too…” he starts saying. The women looked appalled, but intrigued. He told them things he heard in the Kisaeng house, since he didn’t really have the same experience as a woman had, and some things he knew from his own experience. They listened to him talk with red faces. Even the First Wife was read as a strawberry. But they were really interested. It seemed the old man of this House was just using them for his own pleasure and he didn’t really last long. But he did try to explain to them how he could give them something back. 

When he finished, the girl who first asked him looked at him and said “Does your husband do all of these things to you?”

“Yes” he responds, honestly.

After that, they talked about other mundane things, but they were more relaxed with him and friendlier too. When Seungho came to get him, the women looked fondly at him and giggled. Seungho raised an eyebrow at that. On their way home, Seungho asked what they talk about with the women.

“You really don’t want to know” was his answer. 

For some reason, word got out to other women that Na-Kyum could teach them some… skills. Seungho got more invitations to visit nobleman than usual. When he asked Na-Kyum what was going on, he was met with a long stare and the answer than it was probably better if he didn’t know. At least he was being helpful. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you expect this? Next chapter, meeting the King and Queen! Will Seungho succeed? Who knows :)

It was very domestic. The months following the wedding consisted of them more visiting people. Seungho was pleased Na-Kyum was so popular with the women. He still had no idea what the end goal was, but at least he was eating well and he had people to talk to. He could tell everyone was relaxed to talk to him now, and people started to compliment “Na-Young” and also Seungho, which suprised Na-Kyum the first few times it happened. He didn’t expect people to change their oppinion of them so fast. Not that long ago, Seungho was a pariah of noble society and now they were telling him that “she was so lucky to have a young, handsome, smart husband like Seungho”. Na-Kyum felt weird, but he nodded and thanked them. 

Seungho was on his best behaviour though. He didn’t have any relations outside the one with Na-Kyum, he didn’t beat or kill anyone, he didn’t even drink that much anymore either. He was like a perfect member of high society. People started to think he was a changed man because of his marriage, that the renown Kisaeng had made him a better man, she made a miracle happen. 

The truth was, Na-Kyum had no idea what happened, why the change in behaviour. He could still see he old Seungho from time to time, he had an angry look sometimes, when the servants misbehaved or a noble was particularly annoying, but he remained quiet. 

When he came from meeting with people, Seungho would often go to his library and only come back late, then ravish Na-Kyum for hours before going to sleep. 

One day, Na-Kyum and Seungho were out in the market, he could tell something was making Seungho restless, but when Na-Kyum asked what was wrong, he got a glare and no answer. 

They found a big gathering of people, looking at a message that was put on the announcement board. 

“What does it say?” he asks. He couldn’t see from where he was. 

“There will be the civil exam soon.” Seungho responds with a wierd look on his face. 

“Oh. Is that a good thing?” he could see something was going on.

“I’m going to participate in it.” was the answer he got. Na-Kyum thought Seungho was banned to attend, due to his bad reputation and his family’s fallen status. Had something changed? He asks as much. 

“My dear wife, what do you think I’ve been doing these last months? I was trying to get on the good side of old men and get myself a seat to write the exam.” Seungho says, smirking. 

—

The day of the exam, Seungho was dressed in his exam clothes, the ayngsam. He looked handsome in pale yellow. Na-Kyum insisted she went with him, even if it improper. Many people were at the entrance, already waiting to enter the exam place. Seungho looked at Na-Kyum.

”Even if it pains me, I have to thank you.” he says. 

  
“Whatever for, Master?” he asks, curious. Na-Kyum didn’t do anything. 

“I never thought to do this. I was planning on continuing my life as I had, until I die. I thought there was no way to redeem myself. But you came and I saw an opportunity to do something more with my life. So… thank you.” Seungho says, not really looking at him. 

“You’re welcome, Seungho.” Na-Kyum responds and smiles. 

Seungho looks suprised to be addressed by his name. 

“Let’s not go that far.” he says, rolling his eyes, then shows his name plate to the guards to go in the exam place. 

Na-Kyum waves at him and wishes him good luck.Seungho never looks back. 

The wait was very boring. Na-Kyum had to wait for many hours because the exam had to be written, corrected and the results to be presented. People started to pour out, a wave of young men dressed in yellow. He could see many of them were much younger than Seungho, probably around Na-Kyum’s age of 20 years. Some of them looked looked sad, some looked happy. He wondered how they did. 

He spotted Seungho in the mass of men. He was easily one of the tallest ones. He was talking with some other people, professors from what he could tell, shaking their hand and looking happy. 

Seungho walked to him, stopping right in from of him.

“So, how was it? Did you pass?” he asks, scared of the answer. He didn’t want to know what would happen if he didn’t.

“My dear wife, you don’t trust me enough. I didn’t just pass - I got a perfect score.” he tells Na-Kyum with a smirk. Na-Kyum went to his arms, hugging him.   
  
“Congratulations.” he says, embracing him tightly. He got a pat on his back. They went home, and celebrated together, just the two of them. 

The love meking that followed was different than usual. Seungho was gentler and took a long time to make sure Na-Kyum came as many times as possible. In the end, Na-Kyum’s whole body was trembling from pleasure. 

They were laying side by side on Seungho’s bed, as they did most nights. 

“This was the easy part, the hard part is to come, my boy.” Seungho tells him, sleepily. 

“What’s the next part, then?” he asks.

“Having the King’s ear and then killing every last person who dared to defy me.” 

Na-Kyum didn’t know what to respond. He was scared. If it the nobles found out, they were going to get killed. He hoped Seungho had a good plan. He didn’t see how everything could end up well for them…


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it took some time for this chapter, I usually post daily. I already know how the story will end, but I had do think how I will get there. I think I'll write 3-4 more chapters and it will be done :)

Seungho was getting angrier by the day, Na-Kyum could tell. He was screaming at servants for the smallest mistakes. Whatever was happening at the palace, it was keeping Seungho very busy and was making him very stressed and angry. 

Na-Kyum was the one on the receiving end of all the anger. After getting home late at night, Seungho always ate and then slept with Na-Kyum. As weeks passed and he didn’t have patience, it was getting very rough. Seungho was preparing him less, kissing him less and not listening to what he wanted at all. He tried to ask for more time to get used to being penetrated and a gentler touch, but it was making Seungho even worse. 

Na-Kyum was now dreading the time Seungho got home. He started to resent him a little, even.One night, Na-Kyum couldn’t take it anymore. 

It started like any other time. Na-Kyum was in bed, waiting for Seungho to come home. Seungho comes nosily, muttering something to himself. He saw him throw his overcoat on the ground and getting undressed.

Na-Kyum was now on sitting on the bed with the cover on his feet, waiting to get it over with. Seungho kneeled on top of the cover, completely naked. He had a frown on his face. 

“What are you waiting for?! Take your clothes off!” Seungho commands. For whatever reason, Na-Kyum got angry himself. He didn’t want to. He wasn’t some hole for Seungho do use to put all his anger in. He had feeling too.

“No!” he says. 

“What did you just say?” Seungho asks and takes Na-Kyum by his top. “Who do you think you are, boy? Have you forgotten you’re nothing here?” 

“I am someone! I don’t want to do this anymore!” Na-Kyum says, crying. Tears just started to pour from his eyes and he was sobbing. 

Seungho stared at him, then released him. 

“You’re not even good enough for this.” he says and walks away from the room, leaving Na-Kyum to cry by himself. 

Seungho returns with wet hair, presumably from a bath. By the time he came back, Na-Kyum was now calm.

They both ignore each other and sleep back to back that night. 

—

The next days, Seungho ignores him. Not even acknowledges him when he enters the room, like he’s not there. 

He started noticing the servants whispers before he entere rooms. They probably noticed their bedsheets don’t need to be changed every night as they used to. When he saw Seungho talking to a young lord in the courtyard, who was touching his arm in a flirty way, Na-Kyum had enough. 

He waited for Seungho, who came in late, as usual. He wanted to have the upper hand, so he didn’t let Seungho say anything before he was done with his piece.

“Did you have fun today? I hope you did, because the reputation you wanted to keep is slowly drifting away. The servants see a lot and talk a lot. If I’m doing something wrong, you should talk to me, my lord.”

“Now you have a voice, huh? What am I supposed to understand? If I touch you, you say ‘no’. If I leave you alone, you are angry. What do you want?” Seungho responds, coldly.

“I want to know what you’re doing! I want to be treated equal. I don’t know if you noticed, but I don’t have anyone but you to rely on. You leave me here, alone, for hours, and you use me like a common whore when you want. I don’t want to be just that! Talk to me like I’m a person!” Na-Kyum tells him, crying. He hated how much Seungho was making him cry.

Seungho looked shocked. Then, he sighed. 

“You’re such a pain in my back. I’ll find you something to do. Just stop with the crying and whining already.” 

They went to sleep without talking further. Na-Kyum didn’t know if this night brought them closer or broke their relationship further. 

__

The next day, Seungho comes home with a smirk on his face.

“What do you think about befriending the first concubine?” Seungho asks.

“Whose concubine?” Na-Kyum is confused.

“The King’s, of course.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things will get messy soon, can you guess what will happen? :D

Na-Kyum had a sort of routine now. He was now a good friend of the First Concubine and visited as often as was proper. Sometimes they even saw each other everyday. She was a brave woman, very beautiful, but power hungry. Na-Kyum learnt a lot about palace politics and how crazy it all got. Everything interesting that he could gather, he told Seungho so he could use the information if he ever needed to. It was mostly dull affairs and concubines fighting for the King’s affections.

Na-Kyum never saw the King until a few months after starting his visits at the First Concubine’s Palace.

He entered uninvited. Na-Kyum wa shocked when he heard the Palace’s Head Eunuch announce the King’s entrance. They both stood up and made place for the King to sit on the best chair. 

“My dear Concubine, I have been neglecting you and I am sorry.”

“It’s not you’re fault, Your Majesty. You’re busy taking care of your Kingdom.” She responds.

He was busy being in the embrace of other women, that was where the delay was, Na-Kyum thought. It must be a battle to try to win the King’s favour when there were so many other beautiful women.

“Oh, who is this lovely woman?” The King asks. 

Na-Kyum felt scrutinized and a bit scared to talk to a King, truth to be told. He tried to answer in his meekest voice.

“I’m Yoon Na-Young, your Majesty. The wife of Yoon Seungho.” 

“Well, isn’t he a lucky man.” 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” He says, feeling embarrassed. 

“Look at me when I’m talking to you.” He commands. Na-Kyum has no choice but to look up. He was surprisingly normal looking, but for the beautiful red, kingly clothes. He looked had a cold stare, though, that made Na-Yum embarrassed. 

They looked at each other without saying anything, until the King laughed.

“Lucky indeed.” He says. “I only wanted to see how my precious First Concubine fared, I am glad to see you well. Enjoy the company, I will retire now.” And then he leaves. 

They bow to him. Na-Kyum looked towards the door where the King left from and didn’t see the frown on the First Concubine’s face. 

__

The second time Na-Kyum meets the King he was walking with the First Concubine in her Palace Gardens. It was a warm spring day. They saw the King and his servants come their way and they went to greet him, bowing.

“Your Majesty” they both say.

“My Concubine, Lady Yoon, lovely to see you again. What are you doing on this day?”

“Walking and taking in the fresh air, Your Majesty.” The First Concubine says.

“Come, let’s walk together.”

The three of them talk by a nearby lake, the servants walking behind them. 

“What do you do in your spare time, Lady Yoon?” Na-Kyum was surprised the King cared about the life of a noblewoman.

“I tend to my husband and I visit my friends, Your Majesty. I read poems when I can.” He responde honestly, unsure of what the King wanted to hear. 

The King looked surprised.

“What kind of poems?”

“All kinds. I read what I can.”

“Curious that you learnt to read. Tell me a poem, if you are able.” The King commands. They are now at a still. The King was looking at Na-Kyum intently. 

After some time, he responds:

“ I will break the back of this long, midwinter night,

Folding it double, cold beneath my spring quilt,

  
That I may draw out the night, should my love return.” 

  


“Who wrote this poem? I am not familiar with it.”

“Hwang Jin-i, a Kiseang of the past.” Na-Kyum tells him. 

“Where did you learn such a poem?” Na-Kyum guessed well bred women didn’t learn poems written by Kisaengs.

“I was a Kisaeng too, once, before I married.” 

The King was clearly surprised. 

“You surprise me, Lady Yoon.”

He didn’t stay long. They talked a bit and he left quickly. Na-Kyum wondered why he kept coming to visit the First Concubine of he barely taked to her? If only he knew what was to come...


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What I write is usually a historically acurate, but this time I couldn’t find if this type of “marriage” has ever happened. If not, sorry.

Na-Kyum was getting worried. The King kept pestering him and he didn’t know what it meant. He never heard of a King to be interested in a married woman. Why would he, when he can pick from all the young, pure women of the Kingdom? 

He tried to broach the subject with Seungho, but he rolled his eyes and told him he must imagine things.

Until today.

They were getting dressed when a group of soldiers from the Palacr came to their house.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Seungho asks the head soldier.

“By the decree of the King, The Esteemed Scholar Yoon shall divorce Lady Yoon. Tomorrow, she shall then go to the Palace to spend a night with the King and recieve the Rank of Fourth Concubine. This is the King’s will!” One of the soldier announces and pins the document he read from on the main door, for all to read.

Na-Kyum and Seungho both paled. This wasn’t part of their plan at all. 

The soldiers never left their courtyard. There was no where to hide or run to.

Seungho and Na-Kyum retreated to their room. Seungho was walking back and forth, clearly thinking.

“What did you do?!” He suddenly asked.

“I didn’t do anything! I have never heard of him being interested in married women! I was just being myself!” Na-Kyum shouts back at him, then starts to cry.

After a moment of silence, he continues.

“If I go, he’ll know I’m not a woman and I will be executed. You’ll be executed too!” he says and cries some more.

Seungho kneels where Na-Kyum is sitting and takes his face in his hands.

“I won’t let that happen.” And then kisses him, softly.

Na-Kyum cried harder, he knew there was nothing they could do.

The kisses become more heated, then they slowly take their clothes off. If this was their last night together, then they should spent it in each other’s embrace. 

Seungho pleasured him with his mouth until he came once, then licked him all over his body. Na-Kyum was moaning from all the care Seungho was taking.

He was now on his belly, Seungho was kissing along his spine, going down. He knew what was about to happen, and Na-Kyum was already getting hard again. 

He felt his cheeks being spread and Seungho’s breath on his entrance. The first lick took him by surprise. Na-Kyum was a moaning mess with each lick Seungho gave him. 

After what seemed an eternity, he was turned on his back and Seungho slowly put his in. The first penetration always hurt a bit, but it soon got so much better when he got used to it.

They embraced in a way they never had. They had arms tightly intertwined, they were kissing without barely talking a breath. It was very slow and deep. It was as close to love making as they ever got. 

Na-Kyum couldn’t stop the tears coming from his eyes. He was scared for what came tomorrow, but he was glad to be here, with Seungho. After they both finished and Na-Kyum’s head was on Seungho’s chest, he said quietly.

“Thank you, Seungho.”

“What for?”

“For the good moments we had.” He responded. He meant it.

Seungho didn’t say anything for some time, Na-Kyum thought he might have fallen asleep.

“I should be the one thanking you.” 

“Huh?” Na-Kyum asks, dumbfounded.

“I got to live a normal life for this short while. I didn’t think I will ever get that in this life. I was happy.” 

Na-Kyum could see tears falling from Seungho’s eyes. His heart was beating fast. He knew this was the end for them. He gave Seungho a soft kiss and went to sleep. Whatever came to be tomorrow, they will have to face it together. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re close to the grad finale. Things got very interesting, right? I hope it’s not too rushed...

When he woke up, he was alone in bed, Seungho no longer there. Na-Kyum understood. He hoped Seungho was far away by now. At least one of them should survive. 

The soldiers came and told him to get dressed. He wore his best dress and when he went out, all the servant where there. They were all looking at him with pity in their eyes. It was like a march to his death. It most likely was. Seungho was no where to be seen.

He was taken in a _gama_ , a palanquin, and we was carried to the Palace. He could see from the window the streets and the people. He wanted to take it all in before his time was gone.

They arrived at the Palace, where he was taken to the Queen’s Quarters. 

The Queen was much older than Na-Kyum, probably close in age to the King.

He could barely look at her from where he was bowing on the ground.

“Look up.” she says. “I am curious to see what my husband saw in you. To make a man divorce is a grave sin. You must be something else, I thought. You look like a common girl. What a disappointment.” 

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Na-Kyun says and bows until his head hits the ground. 

“I found you were a Kisaeng once. I don’t need to explain to you what will be required of you tonight and any night the King requests for you. Don’t expect it to happen often. As long as you do not get in my way and keep your head down, we won’t have any problems.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“You may take your leave now.” 

Na-Kyum thanks her again and bows. Just before leaving, he hears the Queen say:

“Welcome to the Palace.” 

His welcome will be shorter than she imagines. He thought even if he was a woman, he would have never fit in here. Too many plots and hidden plans. There is no way he’d survive long.

He was taken to the baths, where he somehow managed to keep his underwear. With his genitals and chest hidden, they were none the wiser.

A woman did inspect his skin for rashes and his teeth and deemed him healthy enough. 

His body was oiled and perfumed, his hair combed and oiled as well, his nails trimmed. They applied some makeup and then he got a plain white dress to wear, made from what felt like the softest silk.

“Do whatever the King tells you. Do not scream. No not hurt him in any way. Do not say ‘no’ to him, whatever he asks for. Do you understand?” an old servant lady tells him.

Na-Kyum gulps and says “Yes.”

They walked to the King’s room. Na-Kyum was trembling. There were soldiers everywhere. There was no where to go now.

When he arrived, the King was in his nightclothes, drinking. 

“Your Majesty.” he says and bows.

“Come sit with me.” he tells him and waves him over to sit next to him at the table. 

He pours the King another glass of wine. 

“Do you know why I chose you?” the King asks.

“No, your Majesty.” He really didn’t understand. 

“It was your eyes. I can tell you have only kindness in you. I liked your poems too. I have never met a woman like you.” The King tells him and takes his hand. 

“I have something to confess, Your Majesty.” He might as well tell him now and get it over with. Na-Kyum felt sick in his stomach to keep lying. 

“Oh? What is it?” He asks and pats his head, like Na-Kyum was a skittish dog.

“I’m so sorry, I’m not what you think.” He confesses and starts to take of his top with trembling hands. The King looked interested, like Na-Kyum was putting up a show for him. He then took off his band that covered his chest, showing his lack of breasts. He then took his long skirt off, leaving him in only his underpants. 

The King was touching himself over his pants, looking at him. 

Na-Kyum looked at him and took his pants off, revealing his cock. 

The King’s mouth fell and he rose to his feet. 

“What’s the meaning of this?” He screams.

“This is who I am, Your Majesty. Please spare me!” He says and kneels on the ground.

“You deceived me! You disgusting creature! Guards!”

The soldiers came inside and looked awkwardly at what they thought was a naked woman on the floor.

“Take his thing here to the dungeon. Interrogate him tomorrow and find out if this is some plan to humiliate the King!” 

The was then carried, naked, to the prison. Everyone was looking at him. He got some old, dirty clothes from a guard. Someone probably died in them. 

He could do nothing more but to wait for the morning.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. Tomorrow, the epilogue!

Agony. That was the only thing Na-Kyum felt. After they took him out his prison cell, he was bound to a chair and the interrogation started. 

They asked him if he was part of some grand scheme to humiliate the King. When he told them no, they didn’t believe him and tortured him. They hit his head, beat his body, took some of his nails out. When they asked where Seungho was, he told them he didn’t know and again, they did not believe him. He got tortured again. If he fainted, they threw boiling water over him and he woke up. Then the pain continued. 

The days continued like this. By the 3rd day, he was covered in blood and grime. He only got dirty water to drink. He was thinking of refusing to drink it, to hurry up his death.

He wondered if Seungho was safe. He hoped he manage to get far away from here. He didn’t want something to happen to him because of Na-Kyum’s lies. 

On the 5th day, they read that the King decided on his execution tomorrow morning. 

At night, he was in his dirty cell, refusing to sleep. He wanted to be awake until the end. He’ll sleep enough in the next life. 

He heard some commotion at the prison entrance. The guards suddenly all left.

Na-Kyum was leaning on a wall and looking down at the straws on the ground, not really interested in what was happening. But he was the shadow of a person near his cell and he looked up.

“Seungho?!” He asks, in a whisper, completely surprised. “What are you doing here?! Run!” 

Seungho opens the door to the cell and takes him in his arms. Na-Kyun winches from the pain of his many wounds.

“I’m sorry, I’ll explain everything.” Seungho tells him, in a soft tone. He was looking at Na-Kyum as if he was a fragile being.

A horse awaited in front of the prison, no guards to be seen. He saw a woman who’s face was covered by a veil there. 

“Good luck.” She says after they were on the horse. Na-Kyum was curled in front of Seungho, who had his arms around him.

“Thank you for everything.” Seungho tells her and he makes the horse run. They ride for what seems like an eternity. Na-Kyun loosed conscience a few times. Everytime he wakes up and sees Seungho, it feels like a dream. 

After many hours of riding, they arrive in a quiet village up a mountain. They go to the furthest house, far away from the others. Seungho takes him to the house and puts him in a bed. Na-Kyun blacks out.

During the nights and days he sleeps, he sometimes wakes, when he feels someone bathing him, when someone helps him drink water or medicine, when he feels someone put ointment on his wounds. 

At some point, he wakes. He looks around, and sees a plain, peasant house. Only the bed he’s in, a table, a heater and a storage place. There were many small medicine pouches on the table. 

When he looks at himself, he’s wearing rough, peasant clothes and his hair is loose. 

There was nothing remarkable. He looked in the drawers of the storage, where he only found some plain, peasant clothes and some random items. In the back of the last drawer, he found a piece of beautiful patterned silk scarf. Inside, he found the first hair accessory Seungho ever gave him. 

He puts it back. He had to find Seungho. When he opened the door, the sun rays hurt his eyes. After a few seconds, he got used to the light. He didn’t notice how dark the house was. The saw a man with short hair, kneeling on the ground, looking like they were planting something. He wanted to ask him if he knew where Seungho was. As he approached, the man seemed more and more familiar. Was that...? 

“Seungho?” He asks, unsure.

“You should be in bed, what are you doing here?” Seungho shouts at him. 

“What happened? Why are we here?” He asks.

“Let’s go inside and I will tell you.” 

Once inside, Seungho insists Na-Kyun goes back in bed. 

“What do you want to know?” Seungho asks him.

“Everything. I don’t know how we got here.” 

Seungho sighed.

“I knew that night that we couldn’t escape the guards. I had to hide and find support. I used all the connections I made and gave away everything of value we had to bribe the guards. But that couldn’t have been enough, if not for the First Concubine’s help.”

“She helped me? Why?”

“She really valued your friendship. She was mad when the King made you a concubine, she thought it would have destroyed your spirit. You made a lot of friends. This house belonged to one of the wives of Mister Kim, that he didn’t know about. She has no other family and left it to us. No one will know we’re here.” 

Na-Kyum didn’t know he was so valued. He wanted to cry. 

“What are we going to do?” 

“We will have to learn to farm, I don’t know how.”

“We don’t even know how to cook or clean or sow! We’re going to be the worst farmers!” Na-Kyum starts giggling.

Seungho gives a small laugh too. They will make do, somehow. They had each other.


	21. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, folks. Thank you for those who commented and left kudos. It helped me stay motivated. I hope you have tissues near you. 
> 
> PS: the years are counted 1+year mentioned, not a sum of the previous one, so you don’t get confused...

1 week later

Na-Kyum looked into a mirror. The hair really wasn’t practical in the hot weather. He couldn’t even properly wash and comb it.

“Seungho?” He asks, seeing him sit on the outside porch. He looks back at him.

“What?”

“Can you help me cut my hair, please?” He asks in a small voice. 

Seungho comes to his back and takes the scissors from him. “How short do you want it?” 

“Short. Like yours. There is no point in having it long. We are no one now.” Seungho looks at him, but says nothing. He starts to cut. After every chunk of hair that fell, Na-Kyum had a tear in his eye. His hair was his pride as a Kisaeng and as a noble wife. But those women were now dead. Now, only Na-Kyum, the boy, remained.

“Thank you.” He tells Seungho when he is done. He didn’t mean just the haircut. He was now finally free. Free to be himself. The smile on Seungho’s face told him he understood.

1 year later

The farmwork was hard. They worked from morning to evening. They now had some chickens and a small garden. They went to the rice fields and the soy fields when it was the season. Sometimes, they went fishing. Their bellies were never truly full anymore, but it was enough to survive.

They learnt to made kimchi and soy sauce. They learnt to mend the clothes and made a new duvet. They couldn’t afford to buy anything from the market, in fear the King was still looking for them, so they had to do everything themselves.

They spend the days working and the nights making love. They had no oil to ease the way, so it was quite painful for Na-Kyum somedays. But he got used to the soreness, like he got used to the one in his back and arms from working on the field or the blisters on his hands. 

Seungho was a fit man, so the work wasn’t as hard for him. He even seemed happy some days. 

5 years later

The King was dead. The First Concubine’s son was now King. He was very young and in truth, his mother ruled the Kingdom until he came of age. 

They could now go to the market. They started to sells some of the vegetables they grew. 

One day, he came home after he sold some produce. He had a gift for Seungho.

He saw him boiling some water for a bath. 

His present could wait. It took so long to heat so much water, that a bath was now a luxury. They took the bath together, in a bathtube made from wood by Seungho himself. They helped each other to wash their hair and backs.

Once dried, they were going to go to bed, but Na-Kyum stopped him.

“I have something for you.” He went to the drawer he put the gift in and gave it to Seungho.

“A book?” Seungho asks.

“A poetry book.” It was the poetry book they discussed that first time in the library, many years ago.

Seungho raised to his feet and goes to the drawer and takes out something too. 

He gave Na-Kyum a brush, ink and a few pieces of paper. Na-Kyum was shocked.

“Thank you, Seungho. I missed painting.” He says and cries. 

“I know. Thank you for the book.” he responds. 

That day, they made love in the sweetest of ways. They didn’t have much, but they had each other.

10 years later

Children were laughing and playing everywhere. 

After the villagers found out they knew how to read and write, they asked if they could teach their children the letters. 

They agreed and soon, children from the neighboring villages came too. Seungho wasn’t very patient with them, but the children learnt a lot.

Na-Kyum sometimes wondered if he was born a woman and met Seungho, if they could have had a big family and would have had many noble children, who Seungho could have taught to read and write. It was bittersweet. 

But maybe if he were a woman, Seungho wouldn’t have been interested in the end. And maybe if he was raised as a boy in the Kisaeng House and came from the start as a man and the King never took interest, he could have lived with Seungho at his family house forever, in luxury. No one knows what these possible stories would have turned up. 

They didn’t have many material things, but they did have many happy moments. When Seungho looked at him with children in his arms and smiled, Na-Kyum felt happiness like never before. 

30 years later

Na-Kyum could tell Seungho was loosing weight. He was never this skinny. They kept arguing about a doctor. Seungho insisted they didn’t have the means to afford a doctor. 

“What about my hairpiece? We can use it to pay the doctor and for whatever medicines we’ll need.” 

“We can’t sell that. It was my gift to you!” Seungho argues.

“And if it’s mine, I want to sell it for a doctor to come and see you. Please, I’m worried.” 

Seungho could do nothing but accept after he saw Na-Kyum’s sad eyes. 

The doctor came and took Seungho’s blood pressure. He looked worried. 

“I’m sorry, there is nothing I can do. You have a disease of the blood, that cannot be cured. I can give you medicine to take some of the pain you’ll feel in the future, but nothing else. I’m sorry.” The old doctor tells them. 

Na-Kyum pays him and asks for the medicine. The doctor writes the ingredients to ask the pharmacist tomorrow. 

Na-Kyum goes to Seungho and hugs him tightly. Then, he starts sobbing loudly.

“Are you the one dying, or me?” Seungho asks, full of sarcasm. That only makes Na-Kyum cry more. 

The months that follow are hard. They were both old, with white hair. In the past years, Seungho even grew a beard and mustache. When Na-Kyum tried to grow one as well, Seungho took a look at him and laughed in his face. Na-Kyum never tried again.

Now, Na-Kyum was looking at Seungho’s still handsome face. Even if he was pale and had many wrinkles, he was still beautiful in his eyes. Na-Kyum was awake, to wipe the sweat from Seungho’s brow and keep him warm. His breath sounded painful, like he couldn’t take in enough air. Na-Kyum knew, in his heart, that Seungho will never wake up. 

Na-Kyum didn’t sleep for many hours, waiting to be there for Seungho when he took his last breath, squeezing his hand, letting him know he was there. As the first rays of sun came in their small house, Seungho look his last deep breath. It was suddenly quiet. 

“Seungho?” He asks. “Seungho? Please...” he puts his head on Seungho’s unmoving chest and just sobed and sobed. He cries loudly, until his voice goes hoarse. 

Seungho wasn’t a good man. He had many flaws, especially in his younger years. But in the last 30 that they spent together in their small hut, he had never strayed, never hit him and never made him sad. He was Na-Kyum’s perfect husband. 

The villagers find him hours later, still crying. They help him change Seungho’s body and then burry him. Many children who were taught by Seungho over the many years came to say goodbye.

50 years later 

Na-Kyum was almost 70 years old. He still missed Seungho everyday. 

Today, he was teaching some boys to paint, but they were taking a break. 

“Sir Yoon” one of the children say.

“Yes?” He asks. 

“Can you tell us the story again?” The other children were looking expectantly at him too.

“Which story?” 

“The one about the handsome nobleman who saves the beautiful Kisaeng!” The oldest of the boys says and the other nod.

“Ah, yes... there was this famous Kisaeng...” he starts. The children heard the story many times and loved it, and Na-Kyum liked to remember his youth as well. To remember Seungho. 

The next morning, when the children came for their new lesson, they found their teacher cold, with a painting of a handsome lord in his hands. Many people weeped at his burial.

He was placed next to another grave, as the teacher requested. They hoped he was now happy, wherever he was.


End file.
